Rufus Choi Prevails At José Iturbi International Music Competition
LOS ANGELES, Calif. Classical pianist and Yamaha Artist Rufus Choi was recently named winner of the piano category at the inaugural José Iturbi International Music Competition.
The week-long competition, which was held at the University of California, Los Angeles, featured pianists and vocalists from 14 countries. The winner was determined by a live audience that voted for their favorite performance. In addition to winning the piano category, Choi also was named the winner of the Competition's People's Choice Award, earning a total of more than $60,000 in prizes.
"Rufus came to us with a great talent, a tremendous musical spirit and great enthusiasm to become a Yamaha artist," says James Steeber, Acting Director of Yamaha Artist Services, Inc. "To have him experience such a notable win so early in his relationship with us is very exciting. We hope he will continue to distinguish himself on the classical stage."
A native Californian of Korean heritage, Choi started playing the piano at the age of four, and honed his art while studying at The Juilliard School, where he earned both a Bachelors and a Masters degree in music. At the Musik Hochschule in Hannover, Germany, he attained the Soloklassen the highest degree attainable at the institution. His technique has been fined tuned by such prominent teachers as Vladimir Krainev and Yamaha artist Oxana Yablonskaya.
Choi has performed at such notable venues as the Los Angeles Music Center, New York's Lincoln Center, Carnegie's Weill Recital Hall, the Pasadena Ambassador Auditorium and San Francisco's Herbst Theatre, among many other prominent national and international venues.
The competition's sponsor, the José Iturbi Foundation, was created in 1985 by Marion Seabury and Donelle Dadigan. This not-for-profit organization was founded in memory of renowned concert pianist, José Itrurbi, who wished to make classical music accessible and enjoyable to people of all ages and walks of life.
For more information, write Yamaha Corporation of America, Piano Division, P.O. Box 6600, Buena Park, CA 90622; telephone (714) 522-9011; e-mail infostation@yamaha.com; or visit Yamaha Artist Services, Inc..
 Yamaha Artist Rufus Choi |
"Rufus came to us with a great talent, a tremendous musical spirit and great enthusiasm to become a Yamaha artist," says James Steeber, Acting Director of Yamaha Artist Services, Inc. "To have him experience such a notable win so early in his relationship with us is very exciting. We hope he will continue to distinguish himself on the classical stage."
A native Californian of Korean heritage, Choi started playing the piano at the age of four, and honed his art while studying at The Juilliard School, where he earned both a Bachelors and a Masters degree in music. At the Musik Hochschule in Hannover, Germany, he attained the Soloklassen the highest degree attainable at the institution. His technique has been fined tuned by such prominent teachers as Vladimir Krainev and Yamaha artist Oxana Yablonskaya.
Choi has performed at such notable venues as the Los Angeles Music Center, New York's Lincoln Center, Carnegie's Weill Recital Hall, the Pasadena Ambassador Auditorium and San Francisco's Herbst Theatre, among many other prominent national and international venues.
The competition's sponsor, the José Iturbi Foundation, was created in 1985 by Marion Seabury and Donelle Dadigan. This not-for-profit organization was founded in memory of renowned concert pianist, José Itrurbi, who wished to make classical music accessible and enjoyable to people of all ages and walks of life.
For more information, write Yamaha Corporation of America, Piano Division, P.O. Box 6600, Buena Park, CA 90622; telephone (714) 522-9011; e-mail infostation@yamaha.com; or visit Yamaha Artist Services, Inc..